Adjustable window guard



Feb. 5, 1952 J, w, Hu s JR 2,584,706

ADJUSTABLE WINDOW GUARD Filed Dec. 22, 1948 I INVENTOR 5L1 Jesse W. HULSEY, JR.

' FIG. 3. M5504 4 ATTO R NEY Patented Feb. 5, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE WINDOW GUARD Jesse'W. Hulsey, Jr., St. Louis, Mb. I

Application December 22, 1948, Serial N 0. 66,598

1 Claim.

This invention relates to adjustable window guards, and particularly to such a device which by its particular construction willeifectually prevent its accidental displacement from a window opening, for instance, by a child who might lean against'the guard. It is a well known fact that accidents of this nature frequently happen and many small children have beeninjured in falls from an open window provided merely with an ordinary fiyscreen. My device is of such sturdy construction that a childs weight will not break through the screen, and the means for securing my guard in the window opening afford positive protection against its being pushed out of place by a child. While this is the main object of my invention, other important advantages are its adjustability to window openings of various widths, the ease with which the adjustment is made, and the fact that it can be secured in any window opening without the necessity of additional parts being attached a-t'the sides of the window opening itself, since my window guard and its securing means form a unitary structure.

In the drawingsa v Fig. 1 is an elevational view of that side of my window guard which is turned toward the room when positioned in a window opening, and shows the upper securing means in retracted, inoperative' position and the lower securing means in expanded, operativev position.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view taken on line 22, Fig. 1, particularly illustrating the securing means in operative position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view taken on line 3-3, Fig. 2, illustrating the means for attaching the adjusting means to the screen.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view taken on line 4-4, Fig. 1, illustrating the locking device for holding the adjusting means in expanded position,

I'he invention comprises a frame A formed of rather heavy metal, within which is secured a lattice-work screen preferably made of sturdy flat metal strips B, the frame A being of double thickness so that the ends of the strips B may be secured between the tWo sides of the frame. In the upper and lower portions of the screen I provide a pair of adjustable fastening devices, one of these devices being positioned near the upper transverse section of the frame A and the other near the lower transverse section of said frame, as shown in Fig. 1. Since these two fastening devices are of identical constructions, I will describe only one of them, it being understood that the other comprises identical elements with the one being described.

Each of the fastening devices includes a pair of elongatedmembers I and 2 formed of relatively and outer sides of the frame A through channels 3 provided therefor, the members I and 2 being slidable through said channels. The members I and 2 are approximately horizontal when in inoperative position and are of such length as to terminate at points opposite each other a slight distance short of the longitudinal center of the screen, and each of these members near itsinner, free end is bent diagonally, as at :3, so that the member l terminates in a short section '5 and the member 2 in a short section 6, these two sections being approximately horizontal.

Atthe longitudinal center of the screen, and opposite the space between the sections 5 and 6 of the members I and 2, I place a stationary elewhich they connect may swing, as will be later brought out. To provide for variations in the degree of expansion possible to the fastening devices, the members I and 2 and the operating handle 8 are provided with additional perforations I2 for the reception of the bolts 9, I0, and I I, respectively. At their outer extremities where they extend beyond the frame A, the members I and 2 terminate in loops I3 of such size as to prevent said members from slipping inwardly through the channels 3 out of engagement with the frame. The loops I3 are of triangular formation as shown most clearly in Fig. 2, the sides I3 of said loops being adapted to rest against the side walls of the window opening and maintain tight contact therewith when said members I and '2 are in their expanded, operative position. On the member I I provide a collar I4 of such size that it may be slipped over the end of the operating handle '8 to lock the members I and 2 in adjusted position.

In operation the procedure is as follows:

Suppose my window guard is to be placed in position in 'a window opening. Preparatory to securing it in place, both the handles 8 are raised to the position shown in the upper securing means in Fig. l, where the members I and 2, due

to their pivotal connection with the handles 8, are retracted until their loops 13 rest against the frame A. The window guard is now set into the window opening, after which both handles 8 are swung downwardly to the position shown in the lower securing means in Fig. 1. This movement of the handles 8, by virtue of their pivotal connection with the members I and 2, has the effect of forcing said members outwardly into their expanded condition until their loops l3 come to rest against the side walls of the window opening in the grooves provided for the sash. This movement of the handles 8 brings them into a position parallel with and adjacent to the members I so that the collars l4 may be slipped over the free ends of said handles, with the result that the securing devices are locked in their expanded position, thus maintaining tight contact between the loops l3 and the walls of the sash grooves of the window opening. It will be understood that both of the securing devices are now in the operative position of the lower securing device shown in Fig. l, and in Fig. 2. With the parts thus locked, it is obvious that the guard cannot be inadvertently removed from the window opening even though pressure may be exerted against it.

To remove the guard from the window open-- ing, the above described procedure is reversed; that is to say, the handles 8 are released from the collars l4 and swung upwardly, thus retract ing the members I and 2 and drawing the loops 13 away from the grooves at the sides of the win dow opening, whereupon the guard may be lifted away from said opening.

I claim:

An adjustable window guard comprising a frame having top, bottom, and apertured side portions and a lattice-work screen secured within said frame, a plurality of adjusting mechanisms each comprising a pair of oppositely dis- 4 posed, horizontal securing means adapted to be expanded or contracted to fit window openings of varying widths, said securing means being in slidable engagement with the apertured portions of said frame and being positioned adjacent said lattice-work, the inner, opposing ends of said securing means being spaced apart and each of said securing means being bent to increase the space therebetween, an operating handle pivotally connected to said inner, opposing ends and pivotally connected to said latticework for moving said securing means into and out of engagement with the sash grooves of a window frame, and a lock slidable on said securing means for holding said securing means in expanded condition, the outer ends of said securing means extending beyond said frame and terminating in enlarged elements adapted to frictionally engage the sash grooves of a window and prevent disengagement of said securing means and said frame, said securing means being capable of securing said window guard in the ordinary sash grooves of a window through direct contact with said grooves.

JESSE W. HULSEY, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

